| All smokers are fully aware of the devastating effects | | | | You may not think this is a problem when you are |
| that smoking has on the body. I was a smoker for 15 | | | | young, but you will see the effects of cigarette |
| years, and this list is not designed to scare all the | | | | smoking when you get older. You are starving your |
| smokers out there, although it just might. | | | | skin of essential nutrients. |
| 1. The smokers cough. If you have smoked for any | | | | 7. Lack of energy. I always thought I did not suffer |
| length of time you will have the smokers cough. You | | | | from this problem. At the age of 36 I was a keen |
| may think this is an inconvenience if your a smoker, | | | | sportsman and ran regularly, I liked to keep fit. Sounds |
| and most smokers try to hide it. This cough is actually | | | | a bit stupid doesn't it, I mean I smoked 20 cigarettes a |
| your body trying to get rid of the poisonous fumes you | | | | day and I sort of blanked my mind from what I was |
| are inhaling on a daily basis. It is the sound of your | | | | doing to my body by smoking. It was only when I |
| lungs expelling all the chemicals in tobacco smoke. This | | | | stopped smoking that I found I had so much more |
| is a good thing for your body all though you may not | | | | energy. I would wake up in the morning feeling |
| think so. | | | | completely awake, when I smoked I had to drag |
| 2. Stained teeth. After smoking for so long I was well | | | | myself out of bed. I also found I could run further and |
| aware of my yellow stained teeth. I got into the habit | | | | faster. The reason is that when you smoke you are |
| of smiling with my mouth closed, a lot of smokers do | | | | starving your body of oxygen, and this leads to a lack |
| this. Sure, you can go and get your teeth whitened | | | | of energy. |
| these days, but sooner or later the stains will be back | | | | 8. Dry mouth. I used to wake up in the morning with a |
| if you continue to smoke. | | | | mouth that felt like sandpaper. I wondered how my |
| 3. Yellow fingers. This is basically the same problem as | | | | tongue could be so dry. You just get used to this |
| stained teeth. I used to rotate my finger when smoking | | | | effect, and it gets worse the longer you smoke. It |
| so one would not get stained too much. If you smoke | | | | makes your breath smell and you don't even care. |
| roll ups this problem will be even worse. No amount of | | | | 9. Taste and smell. When you smoke you gradually |
| scrubbing will get rid of it, the only solution is to stop | | | | lose the ability to smell things properly and your taste |
| using the same finger. | | | | buds don't work like they used to. When I stopped |
| 4. Shortness of breath. I always played a lot of sport | | | | smoking I found these two senses returned very |
| even though I smoked. As the years went by I found I | | | | quickly, making meals much tastier. You will smell of |
| always started coughing after any kind of physical | | | | tobacco smoke if you smoke, but you can't tell. Just |
| exercise. Your lung capacity is reduced by smoking. I | | | | try smelling your clothes after a night out in the |
| found that I could not hold my breath for very long. | | | | company of smokers when you don't smoke. This is |
| One of the worst experiences I had was during a | | | | what you smell like all the time. |
| physical test for work. You know the kind I mean, | | | | 10. Dizzy spells. If I got out of the bath too quickly I |
| when you have to blow into a meter to test lung | | | | would get funny bright lights in my head. It was a |
| capacity, and you just know that your attempt will be | | | | strange sensation, and it affects some smokers more |
| well below average. You then get a read out that tells | | | | than others. Most people will get dizzy spells if they sit |
| you that you have the lungs of a 50 year old, and your | | | | upright quickly, but a smoker will feel more dizzy |
| only 35. | | | | because they have less oxygen in their bodies. |
| 5. Circulation problems. Smoking blocks arteries and | | | | This list does not include the most common cigarette |
| reduces blood flow. I always seemed to feel the cold, | | | | smoking effects on the body such as lung cancer, |
| especially in my feet. If I got into a hot bath when my | | | | heart disease and the many others. These are added |
| feet were cold it caused a lot of pain. Smoking can | | | | bonuses you can expect if you smoke. Most smokers |
| also lead to varicose veins and impotence. | | | | don't think they will contract these diseases. I just |
| 6. Grey complexion. You can tell a heavy smoker from | | | | blanked my mind to them when I smoked. The reality is |
| the way their skin looks. They look grey and paler than | | | | that 1 in 2 smokers will die from their addiction if they |
| non smokers. Smoking makes your skin age quicker. | | | | continue to smoke. |